Journey: Magic City Arc (Seven): Pillow Slumber Hunter (Five)

"I think Little Ai should apologize to Sigrika after the game ends," the Rover reminded Little Ai.

"Hehehe... I admit my mistake... I didn't behave well just now..." Aemeath said playfully, sticking out her tongue. It was hard to tell whether she really knew she was wrong.

The Rover's words are not without merit. After all, if someone talks about fair competition but then gets betrayed the next second, even the most honest and kind person would harbor resentment.

Sigrika's sudden fall was partly her doing, so the Rover decided to apologize to her sincerely after the game was over.

This girl's frankness and kindness are very endearing; she doesn't want her own actions to cause even the slightest crack in her golden heart.

"Alright, let's talk about the apology later. Something's coming." Lupa's wolf ears perked up quietly, presumably already sensing someone approaching the area.

Aemeath and her group immediately became alert, constantly on guard against any possible attacks from their surroundings.

"Shh... shh..."

Strange noises emanated from the surrounding bushes, as if something was moving through them.

Then, with a whoosh, countless vines swarmed out, heading straight for Aemeath three companions.

Aemeath instantly transformed into an electronic ghost to dodge the vines' attack, the Rover used pneumatic Resonance Power to accelerate away, Lupa used her Resonance Ability to burn away the vines that were close to her, and finally Mia dodged the attack thanks to the reflexes and agility she had developed through years of training in the arena.

"Sister Chun, don't dodge! Your attacks won't hurt us at all!" Aemeath teased playfully.

"Oh dear~ I was planning to use these little guys to catch you all off guard and wipe you out in one fell swoop, but it seems I overestimated my current strength~"

An elegant yet alluring voice rang out as Tsubaki and the Shorekeeper walked side by side to Aemeath and the others.

"Oh? Four people, two of them don't have pillows?" Chun deduced, stroking her chin. "Little Ai's got some skills, actually managing to recruit this little wolf and her good partner."

"Hmph~ Pretty impressive, huh~" Aemeath smiled confidently, "Four against two, the advantage is on our side. Tsubaki-neechan, you should think carefully about how to deal with our upcoming counterattack!"

"First of all, opening champagne on the spur of the moment is not a good habit," Tsubaki said casually, showing no sign of nervousness as she strolled in front of Aemeath and the others. "And also—"

"Who told you that I only brought the Shorekeeper?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Yangyang and Chisa descended from the sky, each hitting Lupa and Mia with a pillow.

"I remember one of the rules said something like this: helpers can't use pillows to attack opposing players, but opposing players can use pillows to attack them and pause their actions," Chun chuckled. "So, we're now in a fair two-on-two situation."

"I never expected you two would actually be on the same side," the Rover said, somewhat surprised.

"It's just a matter of necessity." Yangyang put away her pillow, a faint smile appearing on her face as she faced the Rover. "If we fight alone, elimination is only a matter of time."

"They need manpower, and we need allies," Chisa calmly added, "So we've reached a temporary agreement."

"In that case, it seems your alliance won't last long either," Lupa pointed out. "When the time is right, you'll both show your teeth to each other."

"How we compete from here on out is none of your concern," Chun said with a dangerous yet alluring smile. "After all, this is where you'll end up."

"Don't speak too soon, Chun-jie! It's still too early to say who will win or lose!"

Along with the sweet voice came Aemeath's pillow. The Shorekeeper responded instantly, pulling Chun back two steps.

"Oh, what a pity. I thought I could succeed." Aemeath said with some regret after her attempt failed.

"Alright, let's finish this quickly~" Chun stretched her limbs, "Let's take you all down in one go."

"Phew~ That was close..." Aemeath said after bending over again to dodge the pillow that the Shorekeeper was throwing at her. "I didn't expect the Shorekeeper to suddenly be so serious about this kind of thing..."

"Since it's a game, there are winners and losers. Winning and losing mean competition. Not giving it your all is disrespectful to your opponent," the Shorekeeper said calmly, his attack unabated. "That's what A-Ling taught me."

"And I'm also very interested in the final reward."

The battle between the Shorekeeper and Aemeath is more like a clash of calculation and experience. The same moves can hardly be used twice. As the creator and core of the Tethys System, the former's wartime calculation speed is far beyond normal, putting Little Ai a lot of pressure.

As for the Rover and Chun on the other side, it's another clash between old rivals.

"I thought you'd become a bit sluggish after living here for so long," Chun said with a light laugh, taking two steps back after another failed attack, looking at the Rover before her.

"A blade that isn't constantly sharpened is useless when facing an enemy, and the same applies to combat skills," the Rover replied calmly.

"Hmm~ Not bad, that's more like your style, always taking precautions." Chun nodded, then lightly tapped her feet and launched another attack with her vines.

The Rover was relentless; the aerodynamic Resonance Power acted on the soles of her feet, enhancing her speed and allowing her to easily deflect Chun's attacks each time.

From this perspective, the situation on the battlefield has become extremely tense, but the next safe zone has already begun to refresh, and it's only a matter of time before they decide the victor.

But will it really go that smoothly?

Just as the two teams were locked in a fierce battle, a strange fragrance, seemingly from nowhere, suddenly filled the battlefield.

After sniffing it twice, Lupa's expression immediately turned grim. "This stuff... is poison from the Fell Clan."

"I... I think I'm a little sleepy..." Mia suddenly felt her eyelids drooping.

The moment Yangyang realized this, she immediately used her Resonance Ability to push all those invisible but odorous gases away into the distance. However, even if she accidentally inhaled a small amount, she could feel her thinking becoming somewhat sluggish.

"Don't worry, everyone, this is just a calming aromatherapy diffuser. I just added a little bit of my own creativity."

Cantarella, accompanied by Carlotta and Zani, joined the battle with a charming and elegant smile on her face.

"Hmm, everyone seems a bit tired." Carlotta nodded. "Go on, Zani, take these girls back so they can get some rest!"

"Ha... more overtime." Zani grumbled, then loosened her tie, revealing her ripped clothes.

A battle that should have had a clear ending has become unpredictable again after Cantarella and her group intervened.

"Hey~ there are only two players left in this game."

"Let's come inside the villa then. We'll witness your final showdown there."